Haldia Petrochemicals faces its first strike

Kolkata, April 1 (IANS) For the first time since its inception in 2001, the $1.2 billion investment jewel of West Bengal, Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd., is to go on a 24-hour strike April 8 demanding permanent employment for its casual workers. Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the state labour arm of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, has called the shutdown.

“Since long we have been demanding permanent employment for the 183 out of 1,500 casual workers. But since the management is indifferent to our plea this strike is our first step to revolt,” said Ashok Patnaik, a CITU member and secretary of the trade union’s Haldia Zonal Committee.

Though the officials of the plant could not be contacted for comment, a company statement said that the management was trying to reach an amicable solution soon so as to avoid future unrest as well.

The Naptha based petrochemical complex set up at Haldia, 125 km from here, is a joint venture of West Bengal Development Corporation, the Chatterjee Petrochem (Mauritius) Co. Ltd. and the Tata Group.